The present invention relates to subscriber apparatus for use in a cable television system or the like, and more particularly to a remotely controlled converter/descrambler (hereinafter "converter") where feature and program authorizations are programmed into a handheld remote control.
Cable television systems and other communication networks, such as satellite systems, typically provide subscribers with a choice of basic and premium services. Basic services are those that each subscriber is entitled to receive without additional charge over the basic monthly subscription fee. Premium services are provided at extra cost, and may include movie channels and special "pay-per-view" events such as concerts, sports events, and the like. In order to prevent subscribers from receiving premium programs without paying an additional fee for them, such programs are typically transmitted in a scrambled fashion over the cable television network.
A converter provided to the subscriber converts a selected channel to a predetermined channel (e.g., channel 3 or 4) to which a subscriber tunes a television set or other video appliance in order to receive the program. When a premium program is selected, the converter also descrambles the signal, if the subscriber is authorized to receive the program.
In existing systems, authorization data for premium services are stored in the subscriber's converter. Such authorization data may be loaded in the field by a technician, or downloaded from a cable system headend to individual addressable converters. Such "downloadable" cable television converters are described, for example, in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,239 issued Dec. 8, 1987 to Frezza, et al. and entitled "Security Arrangement for Downloadable Cable Television Converters".
Systems incorporating addressable converters that are programmable from a headend controller are in widespread use today. However, such systems require the use of a relatively expensive converter, and when provided to a subscriber of only basic services, the use of such subscriber apparatus may not be cost effective. It would therefore be advantageous to provide a low cost converter apparatus that would suffice both for basic service subscribers and subscribers of premium services. Such apparatus must also function in a system providing pay-per-view programming, wherein means are provided for enabling customers to order pay-per-view services on a real-time basis, i.e., in the last few minutes before a program begins. One system that enables the ordering of pay-per-view programs on a real-time basis is provided in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 4,710,955 issued Dec. 1, 1987 to Kauffman, and entitled "Cable Television System With Two-Way Telephone communication Path". The system in that patent overcomes the limitations of past real-time ordering systems, by providing a store and forward technology wherein subscribers' cable television converters are pre-loaded with purchase credits against which pay-per-view programs can be ordered. An addressable controller at the system headend collects program purchase information from converters on a non-real-time basis for subsequent billing.
To date, no system has been proposed wherein a simple, low cost converter can be used to provide both basis services and optional premium services without providing premium service authorization data in the converter itself. Prior art systems providing programmability of features and services have all relied on relatively expensive hardware, such as an FM data receiver and programmable memory provided in the converter itself.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a low cost converter that enables premium programs and optional features to be provided at additional cost to interested subscribers.
It is another object of the invention to provide subscriber apparatus, including a converter and remote control, for enabling interested subscribers to purchase pay-per-view services on a real-time basis.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus for reporting the purchase of pay-per-view services to a system headend controller on a non-real-time basis.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a programmable, handheld remote control that contains the hardware necessary to receive and store premium service and feature authorization data to enable a converter to provide premium programs and features to a subscriber.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a handheld remote control wherein the hardware and software necessary for authorizing premium services and features is contained in the remote control, which is optional and not provided to a subscriber of only basic services.
It is another object of the present invention to provide apparatus for programming the handheld remote control with new authorization data for premium services and features.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide security means, for preventing a handheld remote control that contains authorizations for one subscriber to be used with another subscriber's converter.